Straight UVs and distorted texture

[styx3d]

Hi, I'm doing an unwrap with a trapezoidal object and I am wondering about the best way of doing it.

I´ve tried with the method of the first image (planar projection). There are no distortion in the texture, but I think it is not the right way, because the seams of the UVs must be straights.

http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/4226/1nonstraightuvs.jpg

So I've tried a cylindric projection making straight lines. But I have a lot of distortion in the texture (as you can see in the next image).

http://img708.imageshack.us/img708/3861/2texturedistortion.jpg



What is the best method for unwrapping this trapezoidal object?

Thanks

[Xendance]

There isn't a wrong or right way. I'd use planar mapping or unfold mapping on the four sides (if it works). And no, the seams don't have to be in 90 degree angles. The first unwrap looks good imo.

[geodav]

for that i would use unfold mapping, then just move/rotate each piece and weld the vertices

[styx3d]

Thank you all for the help.

Xendance, as I've read, straight UVs are better for the normal maps. They avoid the problem of the visible seams because of the antialiasing in the diagonal edges of the Uv island bounds.

In the example maps of the UDK, I saw that the UVs are, in almost all of the cases, continous and with perfectly straight lines..

But now I am realizing that these Uvs are in the 1 channel for the lightmap.. The other UVchannel is for the normal maps and texture and there the UVs are not straight. They are overlapped Uvs..

geodav I tried unfold mapping but I think the result is the same as my first method.
I will weld the central trapezoid to the sides for avoiding the diagonal edges, and I think doing this it woud be right for the normal map.
Thanks